The Tales of Greno the Good
by pterryfan
Summary: Goren and Eames write some fantasy stories for her nephew. Based on the real episodes, so I will have multiple chapters, for once. Just a bit of fun on my part. Dedicated to judyg and ciaddict, as promised.
1. Chapter 1: The Jewel Thief

Okay, these stories need a bit of explanation. I got the idea for a character within my own AU, who's a friend of Goren but really a huge fan like us. She writes these fantasy stories based on Goren's exploits for her children. For the purpose of these stories however, these are stories Goren and Eames have written for her nephew.

About the dialog: I don't like too-flowery or too-formal dialog in fantasy. So this is going to sound more like LeGuin than Tolkien or Norton, for those of you familiar with those works.

I dreamed these characters one night, then Dick Wolf stole them from my dream. Legally I don't own them. Spiritually they are MINE MINE MINE!

The Tales of Greno the Good

_Dear child, this story may be true and it may be false. You can ask the wild wind for the truth, but she will never reveal her secrets to a mortal man. _

_Once upon a time, in a fair kingdom, there lived a great wizard named Greno the Good. He wove great enchantments, and knew many things, but his greatest gift was to see the hearts of men, and know there secret thoughts. Great in power he could have been, but he always used his magic for good._

_His truest companion was the elven knight Alendra; dear child, some people will suspect those that are different than they, though they be pure of heart. Thus some suspected the wizard Greno did dark magic, but she knew his heart was pure, and he was worthy of love. They fought evil side by side, at the behest of their king, James One-Eye._

Chapter One: The Jewel Thief

Once, in the kingdom of James One-Eye, there arose a great evil in the land: a young thief, a miller's son, grew greedy for great jewels that were rumored to give the owner great happiness. It began with only one jewel, which he had bought for his wife to wear around her neck. However, his wife soon died, and he took sole possession of the jewel. At first, it would only remind him of his wife, and he did not look on it. But over time, bit by bit, he desired greatly to gaze upon the beautiful jewel.

One thing he did not realize, was the jewel he held was one of several of like type, and they desired always to be one with the others, and forced their needs upon their owners. So, the jewel had trapped the young man, and he desired more and more to possess the others, though in the end, they would possess him.

When the owner of the second jewel died, the thief learned of it through his spies, and went to her house and took the jewel, which she had left for her children. At first, he was happy with only two jewels and more and more, he desired greatly to own more jewels, thinking they would make him greatly happy. So, as the owners of the rest of the jewel died, so did he steal the jewels that they possessed.

Then it happened that a beautiful unicorn was horribly slain, and the whole kingdom mourned for her. King James One-Eye heard of it, and grew wroth, and sent Greno and Alendra to seek the monster who had done this.

So Greno, who knew the tongue of the birds, asked the mourning sparrows what had done this. The birds said to him, "We know not, we came too late, but we went to her glen and discovered the stone she protected is gone. Find the one who stole the stone, and thou shalt find her murderer."

"To kill a unicorn for a stone is a terrible crime," said Alendra bitterly. "Whoever did it must surely be insane."

"Or," said Greno thoughtfully, "the stone is a great jewel the killer coveted; birds are really very unobservant of details. I think I remember this unicorn now. I remember she was charged with the care of a certain emerald that was very precious. If I am right, it will be in the books of lore."

Greno, studying long into the night, found the secret of the unicorn's emerald, that it was one of many of like type, and he wove an enchantment so that he could hear the call of the emerald and its mates to come together. He and Alendra went together to find where the jewels were hidden, and they found the jewel thief in his home.

At first the thief tried to hide what he had been doing. "These," he said smoothly, "have been part of my family inheritance since time forgotten."

"Aye," the thief's father said, lying for his son, "Always have I had those, and my father, and his father before him, and so it goes. What, Greno the Good, would you destroy a poor old father and strike down his son with your black magic?"

But Greno knew the heart of the thief, and would have apprehended him to take him to the king's justice, but just then a solemn raven alighted on the windowsill. "Greno," he said gravely, "there is more news of the dead unicorn. We found a dragon's footprints on the path to the glen where she lived. All the birds are saying a dragon killed the unicorn. This thief is innocent of murder."

"What? I know there are no dragons in this kingdom—thus is King James famous, for killing the dragons."

Alendra said, "My father used to hunt dragons in the dawn of the world, for we elves live long. He said a dragon may hide its true nature by shifting its shape. But a dragon in another form will always let slip a clue to his true identity for the bravehearted and the clever to find."

"Well, then," laughed Greno, "it should be fairly easy for the three of us."

Following the solemn raven, they sought out the dragon's talonprint. Deep in the dirt it lay like a crack in the very earth itself, and it stank of sorrow and death and fear. "Look at this," said Greno, "the dragon is missing his left talon."

"Must have been a great warrior to cut off a dragon's talon. I wonder the person has not displayed it as a trophy."

"No, for recall, a dragon that is in a different form and is injured carries such injuries from shape to shape."

"Greno, you are looking awfully smug right now," remarked the raven wearily.

"_I know who the dragon is_," Greno sang.

Alendra suddenly smiled. "Oh, I think I do too."

They returned to the theif's house, where news had spread of Greno's visit. At Greno's approach the crowd would have booed and called him foul names, but the warrioress Alendra went before and such was the beauty and righteousness upon her face that the crowd was awed to silence.

"**Miller and son, come out of this house so I may judge thee for thy crimes**," called Greno, and all knew they dared not disobey, for Greno had mastered the Voice of Command.

Faces full of fear, the miller and his son came out. At Greno's word, the thief passed the collection of gems—for now it was completed—to Greno.

"Ah," said Greno, holding a shining ruby up to the light, "I see your work is finished. I can no longer hear them calling to one another. This must be the first time in a hundred years that they have all been together."

"Oooooh," said the raven, "Shiny!"

"I don't know what you mean, wizard, for those have always been in my family."

"No," said an old man, who knew the miller well, "I've never seen such gems before, and your family has always been poor." The onlookers began to mutter among themselves, fearful of Greno still but as always, curious of what he would do.

"Your father must be pleased that you have managed to gather up all the gems once more."

"My father?" said the thief, bewildered, "truly he's naught to do with any of this."

"No, indeed," said the miller with a hearty laugh, "I'm just an old man, and rather ill in my old age."

Then Goren grew wroth at the memory of the dead unicorn, and his face was terrible to see. He set the ruby in his hand down on the floor, and lifting his cane, smashed it until it broke into a million pieces.

Then something happened which was even more terrible than Greno's wrath (which dear child, is a terrible thing to see). In place of the old miller there was now a gigantic dragon, and his wings were as the sails of a ship, and his mouth was like a forest of jagged stones, and he roared like the end of the world. The crowd screamed in panic, and ran in all directions from the wrath of the great beast.

The dragon turned upon the thief, and before he could be stopped, swallowed him whole. He turned upon Greno next, but instantly Alendra's silver arrow flew like a star, pinning his shadow to the ground.

Now the dragon's roar was the end of all worlds, but Greno and Alendra held fast. Greno held up his hand and Commanded, "**Speak thy crime, foul one**."

"Curse upon thee,"spat the dragon.

"Why didst thou kill the unicorn?"

"She would have found out my son had the other gems, and she would have seen me as a I truly was. Thou knowest that a unicorn can see past all guises. But thou art a mortal man—how didst thou guess my true shape?"

Alendra said, "As a human you lost your two small toes in an accident building a granary, and the dragon talons we found was milling a talon."

"Ahhh," groaned the dragon, "to be always surrounded by vulgar speech, and not hear the poetry of my brethren's voices again. Well, wizard, art though to kill me now?"

"Nay, for though I am wroth, I know thou art the last of the dragons, and that I wouldst be killing an ancient creature, the last of its kind."

"But he killed the unicorn!" cried Alendra.

"Yes, though he knows the truth of it not. I think he should learn what he has truly done." And Greno snapped his fingers, and instantly the dragon's evil mind was filled with thoughts not his own. They were thoughts of a glen in happy summertime, of clear streams that sang one awake, of the sun in it sky like a fond father looking down on the world below.

"Such is it to be a unicorn," said Greno.

Then more thoughts came, pain and suffering, the breaking of a leg, the smell of death and apathy, the loss of---no, no, no no! The need to scream, the lack of a throat.

Greno nodded grimly. "Such is the death of a unicorn."

And the sorrow the dragon felt drove him mad, and he lay his head on the ground and wept dragon's tears, so rare that, if captured, they could have bought the kingdom.

Greno dashed the tears away impatiently, and wove a spell, and the dragon was once again a mortal man. And he called the men of the village to carry the man away, and bring him to a safe place where he could not harm himself or others.

"So ends the life of the unicorn," said the raven quietly.

"I feel sorry for the dragon, almost. Even as a mortal man, he will live a good many more years in his state. Elves greatly fear madness in their people."

"As do wizards, and they are more likely to go mad," said Greno. "But I feel sorry for the poor young thief. Even a dragon should love his son."


	2. Chapter 2: the Ogre and the Mother

The idea for this story came fom my idea that Eames and Goren might need a catharsis for the harder cases they work. This story has a different plot than the episode it's based on; it has a happy ending because it's written for a child and because of its cathartic nature. The violence I believe to be how Eames would truly feel regarding dead children. Also, I'm not a shipper. You'll see what I mean.

I dreamed these characters one night, then Dick Wolf stole them from my dream. Legally I don't own them. Spiritually they are MINE MINE MINE!

The Tales of Greno the Good

_Dear child, this story may be true and it may be false. You can ask the wild wind for the truth, but she will never reveal her secrets to a mortal man. _

_Once upon a time, in a fair kingdom, there lived a great wizard named Greno the Good. He wove great enchantments, and knew many things, but his greatest gift was to see the hearts of men, and know there secret thoughts. Great in power he could have been, but he always used his magic for good._

_His truest companion was the elven knight Alendra; dear child, some people will suspect those that are different than they, though they be pure of heart. Thus some suspected the wizard Greno did dark magic, but she knew his heart was pure, and he was worthy of love. They fought evil side by side, at the behest of their king, James One-Eye._

Chapter 2: the Ogre and the Mother

Dear child, this story is among the most foul the fair kingdom of James One-Eye. I recommend, but remember, you will always have people to love and protect you. Fear for nothing.

Once upon a time in the fair kingdom of James One-Eye, there was an evil ogre that one day swept up a mother and her young children. Many a year did he keep them in thrall with his evil magics, until one day the fair-eyed mother made a terrible choice, to enchant her children with deep magic stolen from the ogre's lair to put them into a deep sleep. But the eldest child, who was nearly a man, saw his mother's deeds, and sent a message in a bottle down the deep river for someone to find, and he prayed to God that the message would be found before it was too late.

One fine day in spring, Greno the Good and his good friend Alendra were fishing for trout to end a long day in the woods. It had been a good day; James their king was proud of their good deeds, and evil was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, Alendra leaped up. "Look, Greno, what's that in the water?"

Greno asked the fish to fetch what Alendra had seen over to him. He hadn't been catching anything and they felt sorry for him, so they complied. "It's a message in a bottle. How neat! I've always wanted to find one of these things—"

"Greno, please, what does it say?"

Greno quickly read the message, and his face grew wroth, which as you know child, is terrible to see. "Alendra, we must go quickly to my tower. We must know where this message came from immediately."

They hurried back to his mighty tower, and he quickly scried out the place where the message had come from. He sent his birds out with the message he had found, to show that he had found it and would soon rescue them, and he changed himself and Alendra into great cats to speed their way through James's kingdom to the wild woods where they would find the ogre.

But luck was not with Greno's bird friends, for they were caught by the ogre. He read the message, and grew wroth (and yes, that too is a terrible thing to see) and went to strike down the boy. Not having speech, he roared at the mother and children, and waved the parchment in his hand. The young man knew he would die, but stood his ground so his family would no longer be hurt.

The terrible ogre raised his club to kill the young man . . . but! just then, Alendra the Magnificent leaped up in the air, and let the club strike her down, and her body struck the wall.

Greno saw what had happened to his friend, and his heart was like a thunderstorm. In his cat form, he roared till the earth shook, and his tears made the air quiver as they fell.

But he did not forget his duty. He changed back into his human form, and seeing the wrath upon his brow, the ogre turned and ran, taking the youngest daughter with him.

Grief in his heart, Greno rounded up the young family, running with them from the cave, taking Alendra up in his arms.

Once safely in James' kingdom, the young man screamed at his mother, "Look what you've done! You stupid woman, Alendra the Magnificent took the blow meant for me, and I took it for you, and I would not have done it but not for your evil plot!" And the young man struck her, and she fell to the ground wailing.

Though he was heartsick, Greno turned to the young man and said, "No, son, for your mother was sorely tried and in need of greater courage then she possessed. Besides, a true knight will never strike a lady."

"Please, Greno, let me go back and retrieve my sister, or avenge her."

"No," and now for the first time Greno looked at the mother. "Only your mother may right the wrongs done here today, if it can be done at all. But first, I must retrieve my friend from the dead lands."

He sent the mother and son away, James One-Eye hurried over to the tower, and wept sore when he saw Alendra. Greno, also weeping, sent James away. He alone remained with the terrible sight, and stayed up with Alendra's body until it was late night. He performed magic that had not been done in the land since the beginning of time, and took his love for her, and formed a potion and gave it to her to drink. And, in the morning, Alendra opened her eyes and smiled and Greno, and he, relieved, smiled back.

King James heard the news of Alendra's recovery, and declared a feast for his heroic elven knight. But on the night before, Greno and Alendra stayed up long into the night, performing magics never done before in the kingdom since time began. They took their courage, and concocted a potion to give the mother. They gave her a stout staff of the greatest magic, and told her the magic word that would release her daughter.

She left the next day. Through the next month, and many hardships, she followed the trail of the ogre who held her daughter. As she travelled, her heart grew strong again, and never again was she afraid, and never again did she seek to harm any of her children.

Finally, she found the ogre, and stepped in its path. It would have struck her down, but she raised high the staff and said the magical word, the word that would aid all mothers in need: "Magnificat."

And this powerful word turned the ogre to stone, and the stone into a million pieces, and the pieces into mud. And the daughter threw herself into the mother's arms, and the two of them wept with joy at the reunion.

But Greno and Alendra did not see it, for they were feasting, and enjoying being alive within the safety of their kingdom. They did not venture out for a long, long time.


	3. Chapter 3: The ShapeShifter

The Shape-Shifter

_Dear child, this story may be true and it may be false. You can ask the wild wind for the truth, but she will never reveal her secrets to a mortal man. _

_Once upon a time, in a fair kingdom, there lived a great wizard named Greno the Good. He wove great enchantments, and knew many things, but his greatest gift was to see the hearts of men, and know there secret thoughts. Great in power he could have been, but he always used his magic for good._

_His truest companion was the elven knight Alendra; dear child, some people will suspect those that are different than they, though they be pure of heart. Thus some suspected the wizard Greno did dark magic, but she knew his heart was pure, and he was worthy of love. They fought evil side by side, at the behest of their king, James One-Eye._

As you know, dear child, Greno the Good is a powerful wizard. The elements of air, fire, earth, and water are his to command, he speaks to birds and beasts and can change his form to be any creature. However, in the fair kingdom one day there came a great shape-changer, a trickster, indeed an old man, whose abilities rivaled that of even Greno the Good. King James One-Eye heard of his abilities, and invited him to perform tricks for him at court.

The shape-shifter awed and amused the crowd in the castle's Great Hall, imitating this or that courtier or page that caught his eye. All the while Greno looked on, and smiled, but was not pleased. Alendra looked on his face, and wondered.

The shape-shifter finally saw Alendra sitting at the king's table and pretended amazement. "What have we here? An elf? I do not dare imitate such a fair creature, 'twould only look foolish on me. How blessed your kind must be, that the great James One-Eye allows elves to live within his realm—and sit at his table, no less."

At this, many people muttered among themselves, and some smirked. But most grew afraid; Alendra was James's most favored and feared warrior. At that point, Greno stood up and grasped his staff until his knuckles were white.

"A display of talent such as would rival even my abilities. There will be few like you and I when we are both gone. Therefore I am surprised that one so skilled as yourself would humble yourself to be a court jester, good shape-shifter. One would think a man so skilled and driven to mastery would have a higher ambition in this world."

Some laughed; others booed and hissed Greno, as they would have no matter what he had said. But Alendra had eyes only for the locked gazes of Greno and the shape-shifting jester.

"Greno," she said later, "why would you provoke the shape-shifter like that? You and I both know you are more powerful than him; you are usually a more gracious man. Why the hostility?"

"Indeed," said James, gazing at Greno with his chin on his hand, "One would think it no great honor to be a jester in my court, in your eyes. It makes a man consider."

"Believe me, your Highness," Greno assured him, "there has been no greater honor in my life than to work good in your kingdom at your request. My loyalty is to you and Alendra first, always until I die."He shrugged, "I merely question his own loyalty to you. Certainly he didn't approve of your companions at table."

"Mmm," was all the king said, then finally, "I shall think on this awhile." He dismissed them, and Alendra let Greno know she thought he had remained in the king's grace mainly through luck and a quick tongue. He laughed and agreed.

Time passed, and eventually the royal court grew bored of the shape-shifter, and he was dismissed and forgotten by the people.. Then one day, in the elven village, a young woman was slain returning from a wedding. The elf people, greatly fearing, trusted in their warrioress Alendra to find the killer. Some swore they saw a man with the same face as the shape-shifter in the shop where the maiden worked. Alendra sought and found out where the trickster made his home. There, she found that he had been at work again: on the floor was a woman covered in blood, and above her was the shape-shifting man. Fearlessly and without thinking, she let loose a silver elf-arrow, and struck him down. Gathering the woman up in her arms, she rushed her to the hospital and quickly returned to the place where she had left the shape-shifter, only to be horrified beyond imagining to find that it was the woman who lay dead, slain by her arrow.

She quickly returned to the hospital, her heart in her throat, to find her worst fears had come to pass: the creature she had thought was the injured woman had fled the hospital, killing two elves in the process.

The elves, in anger, demanded that Alendra be called in for questioning. She was brought to court and stood before the people and their accusations. The other people of the kingdom came before the king to accuse her of murder for the misfiring of the arrow. Some even called for her death in retaliation. Finally James dismissed the angry multitude so that only he and Greno remained with her, and he looked down at her with his one sad, tired eye.

Finally, Alendra was released, and once freed, she fled to her father's glen in the woods, there to be alone with her thoughts, but Greno sent his birds to watch over her—nightingales to sing her to sleep and doves to waken her in the morning and ravens to feed her if she should get hungry.

Finally, after he deemed the mourning period over, Greno himself went to where she was hiding. At first Alendra was angry at her friend, and turned her back on him.

He sighed, "Alendra, please, look at me."

"You should go back Greno, before our friendship taints you."

"I'd rather be tainted by your friendship than blessed by any ten kings."

She shook her head. "Such pretty words. You always have such lovely words to say, Greno. I am an elf, and I could never match your silver tongue. Of course, I could never match you in anything as it is. We are unequally yoked, you and I."

He put his head to one side, saying, "Alendra, my friend, there has never been anything you have ever done or said to make me think of you as anything less than my equal."

And she turned back to look at him, and he knew she had believed him—which was good, since he had told the truth—and he led her by the hand back to the kingdom.

And when the shape-shifter, the trickster, came, she was ready for him.

He came, of course, in disguise. In fact he clothed himself in Greno the Good's own likeness, and laughed at the thought of Greno being blamed for the death of his greatest friend.

Alendra looked into the trickster's eyes and knew at once he was not her friend. She let him into her cottage and they talked together for some time as if she truly believed it was her friend, but she gave him warm spring water instead of wine.

"It's remarkable," she said finally, "that our shape-shifting friend could have fooled us all for so long. The people are frightened."

"Yes, but those who profit from fear will make a good bundle, so perhaps it would be cruel to end their fear too quickly."

Alendra felt her rage leap up, but kept up a mask the whole time and smiled. "People want to be able to see things for how they really are again."

The imposter sneered. "People hardly ever want that. Common people are just as pleased with a lie as the truth. That is why the truth is so often kept among the deserving."

Alendra frowned. "What is it you so often say about the search for truth?"

The imposter blustered. "That it should only be taken up by the worthy and the deserving, to be sure."

Alendra smiled triumphantly. "The quest for truth," she said, "is not for the faint of heart. That is what Greno the Good says. I don't know if it would be a help or a hindrance to be born with no heart at all, as you have been, sir shape-shifter."

With that, she thrust a dagger into his heart, though he still wore his Greno disguise. But, as he fell to the floor his likeness returned to what it was, that of a spiteful old man. And Alendra swept his head off with one sweep of her mighty sword, and brought it to the king, and the king went among his people to declare the threat abolished. And Greno, beaming with pride, went to Alendra and embraced her.

That spring, Alendra planted trees over the graves of the murdered women, and long after that kingdom ended, their flowers were the most beautiful and fragrant in all the land.


	4. Chapter 4: The Two Sisters

This one was written after the events of "Smile" in the canonical universe. You'll see why that's important.

Once, in the kingdom of James One-eye, there were two sisters, one whom all said was fair and lovely, and one whom all said was plain. Their mother loved the beautiful one, saying that one day she would marry a handsome prince who would give the mother riches in return for her beautiful daughter. The plain daughter was told she would have to marry an ordinary man and as soon as she did, leave the house. The three lived together in an upstairs apartment, and the beautiful sister would look down from her window and wait for her handsome prince to come by. And one day, he did.

There was in the kingdom a Duke's son who would often travel through the town riding on a magnificent white horse, and all were made to move quickly out of his way as he rode through the streets never looking to the right or to the left in his pride and arrogance. Often the beautiful daughter, called Rose, would follow him with her eyes as he walked under her window. One day, greatly daring, let her handkerchief scented with flowers to drift down in front of him. He looked up and saw her, and decided he must have such a fair creature. Was it love? No it was not.

The next day, the two were married.

The sisters and their mother went to live with the Duke and his son, and every day the mother told the other sister, who was named Jane, how lucky she was to have Rose as a beautiful sister, because she was so plain that no man would ever marry her. Jane at first only worried for her sister, whom, she knew, the rich young man did not love, but after a time there came to be bitterness in her heart.

The family lived in the ducal mansion and had freedom to go almost anywhere they wished, but there was a door in the heart of the house that neither sisters nor their mother were allowed to go through. Rose was greatly curious, and a little empty-headed and spoiled, and always at the end of the day would ask her husband to allow her through the door. The husband would always deny her request, and she would pout and claim he did not love her. He only looked at her and said nothing.

One day Rose told Jane of her desire to get into the looked room, and his denial and her claim to him every night that he did not love her. Jane smirked and said, "But he does not love you; anyone can see it."

Rose reared up very prettily. "Love me? Of course he loves me. How can one not love someone so beautiful?"

"Beauty does not always lead to love, sister dear. Sometimes it leads to the need to posses. And that is what I saw in him the first time he came to ask Mother if he could marry you. He does not love you. He never has."

"He fell in love with me the first time he saw me, just like in the stories. You wouldn't understand because you're not pretty like real girls are."

And that set off a fire in Jane's breast. "You know what," she said slyly, "I'm sure your husband does not appreciate how much you want to get into that room. Anyway he's being far too controlling in my opinion. You should show him up by going in there on your own, and asking his forgiveness later. I'm sure he will give it, since he loves you as much as he does."

Rose smiled and thanked Jane for this good idea, and went off determining to enter the room in secret that night. She went into town to buy lockpicks and practiced during the afternoon in her room. After all the rest of the family had gone to bed, she went with candle in hand to the locked room. After a few attempts she picked the door open, and looking around, ducked into the forbidden room.

The next day, she was found dead outside the forbidden room.

The Duke's son pretended to be greatly sorrowful, and demanded that the king seek out and punish the one who had killed her. The king instructed Greno and his faithful companion Alendra to help the Captain of the Guard, called by everyone Captain Crunch-Balls, discover the murderer. The captain was a good and honorable man, but he distrusted Greno, like many did, because he was different. It hurt Greno to be thus distrusted by so good a man, so he never allowed him to see him work his magic, even though his magic could have helped the Captain a great deal.

At the manor, the Duke was angry when the Captain, Greno, and Alendra tried to find out what happened. The Duke was used to bossing people around, and tried to boss around the Captain.

"Why are you here? Leave my home, go and patrol the streets for thieves and murderers among the commom people.

The Captain kept his calm with effort. "Sir, we need to pursue the man who killed your daughter-in-law to bring them to justice."

"Justice is something to hold lesser people to. It is not some great good to strive for; it is whatever we say it is. Now, get out before I have you arrested and call _that_ justice."

Furious but too smart to show it, Captain Crunch-Balls left, taking Greno and Alendra with him. Later they sat together with the king to discuss the crime.

"It's strange," said Greno, "that there was no mark on her body. Yet her face was one of horror."

Alendra shuddered. "Something bad must have happened to that poor girl."

"Justice," snorted Captain Crunch-Balls, "justice is the best of all things. It keeps society from crumbling."

The king turned to Greno and asked, "What do you think justice is?"

He answered, "I don't think justice exists within the universe. I don't think it is a part of nature, like love or fear. Those things even dogs experience. And I have spoken to young songbirds of love. But they know nothing of justice."

"So you think justice is not important?" asked the Captain with suspicion.

"No, I think we must make justice among ourselves, as humans, and that for it to work effectively it must apply to all people, rich and poor alike, elf, human, ogre, all thinking creatures."

"So, what about the creature who killed Rose? How shall we bring her killer—if killed she was—to justice?"

Greno grinned. "I've got some friends who can get into that room, the locked one, and report back to me."

"How, without the Duke catching on?"

"Rats," said Alendra, making a face, "He means rats and mice."

"_Rats and mice!_"

"Yes, I use birds, why should I not employ the small furry ones of the ground?"

"Because, they're well, rats and mice!"

"Bah!" scoffed Greno, "the rats and mice will tell me what I need to know. You will see."

He sent his little friends out that night, to scout the room that was locked. It took a while to find it, but in the end they did, and crawled beneath the door, and were much surpised.

Greno entered his tower that morning to see Alendra sitting atop the table, her legs clutched against her chest. "I'm sorry," he told her, "I won't have them in my house again if they upset you that much. There are other places in which to meet."

"Just ask them what they saw and send them away," said Alendra, shaking.

Greno knelt down and the rats and spoke to htem in their language for a few minutes. Finally he stood up again and said, "That's interesting."

"What, what did they see?"

He couldn't help but grin at her. "And you thought my little friends were of no use. I should tell you nothing, because of your teasing earlier."

"So what did they say?"

Greno knew it would be foolish to keep a secret from his friend. "They say that the duke and his son were in that room, and that they stared at something flat and shiny. They say it smelled of sadness."

"They got all that? I didn't know you could smell sadness."

"It's an acquired talent."

"I don't understand. What do you think the flat shiny thing is?"

Greno tossed the mice and rats a hunk of bread for their service and dismissed them. "Alendra, what do you know about mirrors?"

"Since this is going to be about magic mirrors, I'll say, nothing." She loved his explanations.

"Mirrors infected with magic are a very dangerous thing. For instance, you know better than to get yourself between two mirrors?"

"Oh yes, I was taught that by my father."

"Very good, but several mirrors in this world show us not ourselves but other things related to us. For instance, one mirror shows us our deepest desire, and, often, a way to achieve said desire. Other mirrors will show us what we fear the most. Still others show us a future self—that one has often driven men mad. There's another that shows you how to overcome your greatest fear or test of character. I've heard of dozens of different kinds of mirrors in my research."

"You think the duke and his son have such a mirror?"

"Yes, that's likely."

"Then how are we to discover which type of mirror they have? The rats couldn't see what was reflected."

"Ah, but we two could."

"How . . . oh, no. Greno, no, please not . . . "

*

It was late, night had crept into the spaces between warm houses and tucked itself into back alleys; the stars above were like bright birds upon some great, dark bough. Within the locked room of the Duke's manor house, a sole candle was lit; the Duke and his son were looking into the mirror; the smell of sadness filled the air.

Out of the shadows like thieves stepped Greno and Alendra, startling the Duke and his son. Alendra made to draw her sword, but the two men were unarmed. Greno turned toward the Duke and used the Voice of Command. **"Tell us what this mirror shows."**

The Duke shook, but obeyed. "This mirror shows us our true selves, as if we were all masked in this human skin we wear and are really fantastical creatures, either of darkness or light, air or fire, beast or fair creature. Some say it shows us as the angels see us. All of our family are doomed to stay the night staring at the mirror until day breaks, and accept our true natures."

Greno and Alendra looked at one another, and Greno took up the candle, and unafraid, the two stared into the mirror.

And Greno stood there like a thing made of pure light, a vessel full of pure water reflecting the heat of the sun, and his brightness was painful to look upon for those who would not see. Alendra, his dear friend, was as a beautiful moon child, bright with purity, but as he moved, so her brightness dimmed slightly. She laughed. "Reflected glory."Greno's heart grew heavy within him.

Alendra saw her friend was sad, and said, "I've known for a long time that, were I to stay among my own people, I would be an outsider for my fierceness. I would rather have reflected glory and your friendship, and rather be Alendra the Magnificent than the Outcast." And he was content.

"What shall you do with us?" asked the Duke.

"First, what is your true natures? **Come up to the mirror and show me**."

The Duke and his son walked up to the mirror: The Duke's reflection was of a king, old and withered and with a tarnished, filthy crown crawling with grubs and flies. "We were once kings in this land," he explained.

His son's reflection was of a vain peacock, with a gaping hole where his heart should have been. "I am unable to love," he said quietly.

"And yet you married a young woman?" Alendra asked, "Why, to beget an heir?"  
The young man broke down and wept. "I . . . I thought I could love her. I thought I could be healed. I hate my reflection there in the mirror. I hate it! When Rose looked into the mirror, she hated her true nature, as I did, and she died rather than live with its memory. It was predicted I would find my love in this mirror and be healed. Greno, Greno the Good, can you help me please?"

Greno's heart was touched by this story. He roamed the house until he found the one he was searching for.

Jane, in the death of her sister, had repented of her cruelty to her sister, and grieved for her role in the death. She prayed to God for forgiveness, and as penance did good for the poor. Greno had seen her one day in the church, and thought her beautiful for her kindness. Finding her within her room, crying, he spoke gentle words to her and brought her to the formerly locked room, and lit a lamp, and showed Jane her true form.

And behold! it showed a magnificent woman, with eyes like the sea, and a face like white rose petals, and a mouth that was sad, but promised future happiness. Her rainment was that of a woman about to be wed.

And the young man looked in the mirror, and loved her, and he embraced Jane with a lover's embrace, and his countenance changed into that of the most beautiful of birds, the phoenix.

The two were wed the next day, and the mother was struck with guilt at her earlier words to her Jane. She begged forgiveness from the two of them, and was given it freely and gladly.

And the three lived happily ever after, as did Greno and Alendra, and as we hope you shall, dear child.


	5. Chapter 5: The Halls of Doom

The Halls of Doom

I dreamed these characters one night, then Dick Wolf stole them from my dream. Legally I don't own them. Spiritually they are MINE MINE MINE!

I'm reading Tolkien right now, I'll try to keep the Purple Prose to a minimum but it'll be darn hard this time around.

Now, dear child, King James One-Eye had a shining castle on the mountain of WonPeaPea, and his word was the law for all the land that could be seen from its battlements on a clear summer morning. But under mount WonPeaPea lay the Halls of Doom, which were his jail cells, which James had inherited, and which no bewitchment of Greno could clean out, nor clear the smell and feel of evil and sorrow. Ogres who had sworn allegiance to the king worked there, and other foul creatures as well. Greno often when within with his friend Alendra to discover the truth or deceit of the prisoners, and perchance give them pardons of their hearts were repenant. Greno and Alendra hated the place, and often begged the king to close it, but the king refused, saying that many of his prisoners were deserving of strict punishment.

One day, a band of innocents were exploring caverns deep within Mount WonPeaPea, and stumbled into the Halls of Doom by mistake. The chief ogre, who was called Abum, said that they were prisoners, and locked them up, though they were innocent of wrongdoing; and one of them was a fair maiden with a voice like a nightingale in spring, and often she would sing to her fellow prisoners to ease their suffering.

How did Greno find out about this terrible injustice? One day soldier came home, with his face like a map of the world he had seen in the wars. His heart was valiant, and his name was Miklo Ghan. Within the castle walls, he heard the beautiful singing of the fair maiden coming up through the hollow spaces in the mountain, the vents and airducts. And his heart was filled with a passion to find this girl who sang so beautifully, and he asked those in the castle who she was, but they knew not. Finally he went to King James One-Eye and asked about the beautiful singing. James came to the place where the singing was loudest, and was baffled by what he heawrd, for he had never heard such a lovely voice before. He called his councelors to explain the phenomenon, and they gave the theories that it was a ghost or some enchantment upon them. But Greno said such things were unlikely; nothing went on within the castle, living or dead, enchantment or metalwork, that he did not know of. But when asked directly the meaning of the noise, he too could not say a reason. So all left confused.

A few days later, the soldier Miklo Ghan went down to the Halls of Doom to give water and clothing to the wretched prisoners, when he heard louder than ever before the beautiful singing. Amazed, he went searching for the voice, only to be turned back by Abum, and wounded in the skirmish. Clutching his wounded side, he went straightaway to the king to report what he had seen and heard. King James invited Greno to listen, and at first the mighty wizard was skeptical. "I know of no prisoners being held down there that would sing in their distress, not to mention singing so gorgeous a song as what I have heard." But he agreed to follow Miklo down to the Halls of Doom, with Alendra at his side. There they heard no singing, for the maiden often ceased her song to rest. But the three were baffled, and Greno might have thought Miklo a liar if he had not heard the song himself. And so they left, and again in the castle they heard the singing, and again went down into the Halls of Doom. And again the voice of beauty eluded them, and Miklo slammed his fist against the walls in futile frustration.

That night, Miklo returned to the Halls of Doom, and did hate himself high in a crack in the walls, and Greno changed himself once more into a mouse, to search the whole of the Halls, and they agreed to meet again when Greno had found the wretched prisoner. Just then, the beautiful singing was started again, and Miklo's heart was again stirred within him, and he would follow Greno where it led, but was persuaded to remain.

So Greno followed alone the singing, and soon came to the cell where the maiden was kept. He quickly unbolted the door, leading her friends to freedom, and they wept, and kissed his hands, but he cautioned them, saying they were not safe entirely yet. As he led them to wear Miklo was waiting for them, suddenly the ogre Abum leapt up and struck Greno in the head, and he knew no more. He would have died then, but Miklo had followed him, and saw the wicked deed, and strove with the ogre, and though the ogre Abum was strong, still Miklo's love was the stronger, and so Miklo gained the victory, and slew the ogre, and picked up Greno and flung him over his shoulder like a sack, and led the maiden and her friends to safety.

And Miklo and the beautiful maiden were married, and the Halls of Doom were cleaned out, and the prisoners who had repented were all freed, at Greno's insistence, and never did another man go into them again.


	6. Chapter 6: The Mistake

I felt rather clever writing this one, it incorporates another fanfic I wrote a while back, "Last Song."

The Mistake

_Dear child, this story may be true and it may be false. You can ask the wild wind for the truth, but she will never reveal her secrets to a mortal man. _

_Once upon a time, in a fair kingdom, there lived a great wizard named Greno the Good. He wove great enchantments, and knew many things, but his greatest gift was to see the hearts of men, and know there secret thoughts. Great in power he could have been, but he always used his magic for good._

_His truest companion was the elven knight Alendra; dear child, some people will suspect those that are different than they, though they be pure of heart. Thus some suspected the wizard Greno did dark magic, but she knew his heart was pure, and he was worthy of love. They fought evil side by side, at the behest of their king, James One-Eye._

(These words are written in a neat, flowing script)

Greno the Good was always good, but not always wise. Though Alendra was his closest friend, he was not used to having friends and did not know when it was good to be honest with her; for he did not know she loved him as a friend and would have forgiven him any fault.

One day a cunning enemy decided to use Greno's weakness against him, and sent a terrible curse against the people, a curse that only Greno could erase, and so he disappeared to battle the evil curse, alone, and none of their friends, the king, the raven, Miklo Ghan, or Captain Crunch-Balls, knew where he had gone. Alendra wandered all over the kingdom in search of him, but found no sign of him. She grieved sorely, wondering whether he would return to her. He was gone for six turns of the moon.

One day, when she was hungry, she went out hunting, and, sighting a gray squirrel, took one of her magic arrows and shot him. But because it was magic, it changed the squirrel's form back to that of a man. And lo! that man was Greno, her friend. The arrow could easily have killed him; fortunately Alendra's aim was off that day.

Alendra screamed in terror, and shook, and cried silver tears. But then, Greno sat up and looked at her. "Alendra! Hello! I've missed you sorely."

Then Alendra grew greatly wroth."You fool! I didn't know where you were, and just now I might have killed you! Your death at my hands would have stained my life forever."

"But look, see! I am unharmed, and a great evil has been banished." Greno often valued the fight against evil much too highly.

"But what have you done to our friendship, for I always felt I had your trust, as you had mine. Now I see that was a lie."

And, not stopping to look back, she turned and ran from her friend.

(The story is now taken over by a strong script, the work of a left-handed person)

After she left, Greno was greatly shaken. His friend had always been understanding. But he knew he had made a grave mistake now.

He had been doing deep magic that needed to be kept a secret, or great evil would come into the world. He knew that telling even one person could put them in jeopardy, indeed could kill them both; but now he also knew Alendra would rather be with him than left out, even though the dangers were great; and it grieved him greatly that he had judged her so poorly. He fell down and wept great tears of sorrow, until he saw a rat approaching him.

"What is wrong, Greno?" asked the rat.

"Oh," he wailed, "it is awful, my friend has left me. I am utterly alone in the world now, and might as well throw myself into the river."

"Tsk," said the rat, "I shall be your friend from now on. My name is Death."

"Ah, an appropriate name for the last friend this mage shall ever have."

(Continued in the neat, flowing script)

Alendra walked many miles deep in thought, angry with both herself and Greno. She went to their friend the raven, and heard him singing a song praising Greno's good deeds.

She shied a rock in his direction. "Enough of that one," she commanded, "sing for me something sorrowful."

And he sang her a song about a dragon who lived alone except for one person who loved him, but the love ended, as things will, and the dragon was left alone until the end of time.

"Raven," said Alendra, "that song was almost unbearably sad."

"You are sad yourself. What is wrong?"

"Greno and I are fighting. I nearly killed him because of his idiocy. I don't know whether I can trust him anymore."

"Alas and woe! All the animals know that Greno and Alendra are the best of friends, and that Greno the Good, while occasionally unwise, is always good, but might be persuaded to do evil were it not for her. I shall sing of this sorrow and soon the song will be taken up by all the birds and beasts in the land."

"It isn't my fault! Greno was not truthful with me, when I thought we were friends."

"I have heard you calling for him in the forests and fields; you were sore in missing him, and now that he has returned alive, you say you are upset with him. Greno was stupid, but he is human, and humans make mistakes, but they also forgive each other."

And the words sat sorely in Alendra's heart, and she turned back toward her friend.

(Continued in left-handed script)

Alendra returned to find Greno much reduced in power. The rat Death was secretly a weapon of that same deadly enemy, and was sapping Greno of his power. Greno cried with relief to see his friend back, and was relieved that she was worried for him, for truly, he was a few days from death.

"Greno! You are so pale! Are you sick?"

"Alendra, you should leave me here. I don't want you to forgive me because I'm sick."

"I don't forgive you because you're sick; I forgive you because you are Greno the Good, and my friend."

At that moment, the rat Death came into the room, and seeing Greno restored to his old self, he knew his master's plan had failed, and squealed, and tried to escape, but as one Greno cast a spell and Alendra loosed her silver arrow; and the rat Death was utterly destroyed, and as for its deadly master, no one ever found him; he may still be alive today.

(Continued in neat, flowing script)

Alendra forgave her friend, and rejoice greatly when he returned to his old self. But from then on, there was a greater trust between them, and though he did make mistakes from time to time, she understood that he loved her, and that they needed each other, and was never wrathful toward Greno again. And let this be a lesson to you, dear child: know who your friends are, and be blessed by them, and be not wrathful, but forgive always.


End file.
